निहायत (nihaayat)
adverb
An intensifier meaning 'extremely' or 'utterly', used before adjectives to strengthen them; single sense.
Sense
1
:
extremely, utterly
adverb Placed directly before the adjective it intensifies, e.g. निहायत बेवकूफ़ (nihaayat bevkoof, 'utterly foolish').
Synonyms: बहुत (bahut), अत्यंत (atyant), बेहद (behad), निपट (nipat, rare)
Frequency: low
Cultural Note: This word comes from Persian/Urdu and has a slightly literary, formal flavor compared to everyday बहुत (bahut) or बेहद (behad); you will hear it more from an older, educated speaker or in writing than in casual chai-time chatter, often when someone is complaining about how extremely something is the case.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use निहायत (nihaayat) with verbs, but it only intensifies adjectives (and occasionally adverbs), not actions themselves. 2) It tends to carry a slightly negative or critical shade in modern speech, e.g. निहायत बदतमीज़ (nihaayat badatmiiz, 'utterly rude'), so using it with a strongly positive adjective can sound odd or bookish to native ears.
Sample Sentences:
यह मामला निहायत गंभीर है।
This matter is extremely serious.
(yah maamlaa nihaayat gambhiir hai।)
वह निहायत बेवकूफी की बात कर रहा था।
He was saying an extremely foolish thing.
(vah nihaayat bevkoophii kii baat kar rahaa thaa।)
यह निहायत जरूरी है कि आप समय पर पहुँचें।
It is extremely necessary that you arrive on time.
(yah nihaayat jaroorii hai ki aap samay par pahunchen।)
अगर वह निहायत ईमानदार होता, तो यह धोखा न होता।
If he had been extremely honest, this deceit would not have happened.
(agar vah nihaayat iimaandaar hotaa, to yah dhokhaa n hotaa।)
उसका व्यवहार निहायत असभ्य था।
His behavior was extremely uncivilized.
(uskaa vyavahaar nihaayat asabhy thaa।)
यह प्रस्ताव निहायत अव्यावहारिक साबित होगा।
This proposal will prove to be extremely impractical.
(yah prastaav nihaayat avyaavahaarik saabit hogaa।)
बुजुर्गों ने हमेशा इस मुद्दे को निहायत संवेदनशील माना है।
The elders have always considered this issue extremely sensitive.
(bujurgon ne hameshaa is mudde ko nihaayat sanvedanshiil maanaa hai।)
उन्होंने निहायत नाराजगी से अपनी बात कही।
He said what he had to say with extreme displeasure.
(unhonne nihaayat naaraajgii se apnii baat kahii।)
यह निहायत शर्मनाक बात है कि इतने वादे तोड़े गए।
It is an extremely shameful thing that so many promises were broken.
(yah nihaayat sharmnaak baat hai ki itne vaade tode gae।)